


Under The Oak Tree

by galaxystiel



Series: 100 Ways To Say 'I Love You' [15]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Marriage, Minor Character Death, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-29 15:04:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20438018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxystiel/pseuds/galaxystiel
Summary: Five times Castiel wept under the old oak tree and one time he laughed.





	Under The Oak Tree

**Author's Note:**

> **#31** "Don't worry about me." of [100 Ways To Say 'I Love You'](http://blueeyedangel.co.vu/100ways)
> 
> Also written for the Writers of Destiel 'Writer's Choice' Bingo, for the prompt, "Under The Oak Tree".
> 
> Thanks to the incomparable [Courtney](http://fangirlingtodeath513.tumblr.com) for being a fantastic beta.

** **Art by the amazing and talented [sketchydean](http://sketchydean.tumblr.com)** **

**1.**

Beneath an old oak tree on the outskirts of town, Castiel wept into his hands, uncaring of the snot and blood that smeared across his face as he cried. He couldn’t go home yet, even though he knew his parents would be expecting him. If they saw the blood on his face, they’d know exactly what had happened.

If they found out he was being bullied _ again _, they’d make him switch schools. For the second time. Castiel had started at the fancy private middle school across town, but he’d been miserable there. His friend Dean had gone to the local middle school—where Castiel was now enrolled—and he didn’t want to move someplace else. He wanted to stay with Dean.

Dean had been pretty good about protecting him from being pushed around so far, but he couldn’t be around all the time. Their schedules were too different to facilitate that. Castiel’s older brother, Gabriel, had moved with him too, but where Castiel was a social outcast, Gabriel was a social butterfly.

It was only a matter of time before Gabriel found out about the bullying and rained Hell down on them, but Castiel didn’t want that. Gabriel wouldn’t be able to fight his battles forever.

“You okay, Cas?”

Castiel jumped, his heart thudding in fright. He’d been so wrapped up in his tears that he hadn’t even heard the sound of his best friend arriving. Truth be told, Castiel hadn’t expected to be found here. He’d only stumbled upon this hill accidentally when the sidewalk had turned into grass and he’d lost track of where he was. 

“I’m fine,” he sniffed, taking the tissue that Dean held out to him and cleaning the worst of the blood from his face. “Thanks.”

“No problem. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to stop it. Michael again?”

Castiel shrugged. “It’s fine. How did you find me?”

“I followed you from school. I tried to call out, but you didn’t hear me. I guess I was too far away.” Dean shifted awkwardly. “You should tell someone, you know.”

“That’ll just make it worse,” Castiel mumbled. “I can handle it.”

Dean shook his head, but Castiel knew he was just upset with the situation and how neither of them could think of a way to fix it. It wasn’t like he enjoyed being slammed face-first into his locker door every day.

“You want to come over to my place?” Dean asked, eventually. “My dad will help patch you up, then your mom will never know.”

Castiel nodded, brightening instantly at the invitation. He took Dean’s hand to pull himself up and didn’t let go immediately, taking an extra second of comfort before they ran down the hill to start the long walk home.

* * *

**2.**

Castiel swiped quickly at his eyes as he heard footsteps approaching behind him. He knew who it was. Only one other person ever came out here—only one other person knew _ he _ came out here—and he’d already heard the rumbling sound of the Impala.

Dean sat down beside him, shrugging out of his leather jacket and draping it over Castiel’s shoulders. The warmth and familiar scent were a relief in the cool evening, and Castiel let more tears flow from his cheeks until there was nothing left to cry.

“Thanks,” he rasped finally, leaning back against the huge trunk of the oak tree.

This was his hiding spot, whenever Castiel needed to get away from things he would come here. Far on the outskirts of town, Castiel had found this little piece of paradise completely by accident. Atop a large hill, under the shade of a towering oak tree, Castiel had a perfect view of the luscious green fields dotted with wildflowers and red brick buildings of his hometown.

It was his sanctuary.

Only Dean knew of its existence, and he’d pinkie-swore to keep it a secret. He hadn’t even told Sam about this place. It was their secret, Dean’s and Castiel’s, and they’d commemorated that six months ago, etching their initials into the old bark with Dean’s penknife.

“Any time,” Dean said simply.

“How’d you even know I’d be here?” Castiel muttered.

Dean shrugged. “You didn’t answer my texts, so I stopped by your place. Gabriel told me your parents had been fighting with him again, and I guessed you’d be here.” He hesitated. “You want to talk about it?”

Castiel shook his head, feeling moisture threaten his eyes again but he was all cried out. He didn’t think he could talk about it, not even to his best friend. His parents taking their fury and bad moods out on his brother was too much to deal with right now. Gabriel was just about to finish up his senior year, and his GPA hadn’t quite met their parent’s standards.

Castiel, in his sophomore year, had a perfect GPA. His parents doted on him just as intensely as they excluded Gabriel. It strained the relationship between Castiel and his brother, but he did everything to fix it.

“You want me to go?” Dean asked softly.

Castiel shook his head again and shifted closer so his head tilted, resting on Dean’s shoulder. “Stay?”

“You know I will. As long as you need me to.”

Silence descended upon them, but neither of them felt obligated to break it. After years of friendship, they were used to companionable silences. They didn’t feel the need to force conversation. Just being in each other’s company was enough.

Dean being there for Castiel was enough.

* * *

**3.**

“Mr. Novak, you absolutely cannot go in there!”

A ruckus in the hallway caught the attention of the entire senior AP Literature class and Castiel’s eyes widened when he heard the sound of his brother being addressed. He rose, intent on seeing what was going on, but it appeared Gabriel beat him to it.

The door to the classroom burst open and Gabriel strolled in. His usual trademark grin was gone, his expression solemn except for a slightly manic look in his eyes. He scanned the classroom, his gaze finding Castiel easily. His head jerked back towards the doorway, signalling for Castiel to follow him.

“Mr. Novak, you’re no longer a student here, you cannot just barge into a classroom!” Principal Adler shrieked, his pompous, smug face now apoplectic.

Gabriel barely spared him a glance. “Just did, big boy. You might want to come too,” he added, his eyes fixed on Dean. “He’ll need you.”

Castiel was already stalking towards his brother, and he heard rather than saw Dean get up and follow him. He felt a rush of affection for his best friend, even over all of the confusion and anxiety he was feeling. What was so urgent that Gabriel had just driven here and stormed into his classroom. Was it something to do with their parents?

Trying to quash the rising tide of panic that threatened to overwhelm him, Castiel ignored both his teacher and principal screaming at him that he would be suspended if he left the classroom. Instead, he just focused on following his brother out to the parking lot, having to almost run to keep up with Gabriel.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m leaving.” Gabriel told him, gesticulating wildly. “I can’t take it there anymore, Cassie. I can never do anything right, they _ hate _ me. I can’t do it anymore. I just came to say goodbye.”

Castiel blinked in confusion, and then he registered Gabriel’s meaning. “Gabriel, what happened? You—you can’t just leave. They don’t hate you—"

Gabriel let out a scornful laugh, harsh and broken. “Yes, they do. I’m the black sheep of the family. You’re the only son they’re proud of.”

They reached his car and Castiel stood in front of the driver’s seat, blocking Gabriel from getting inside. Even from here, he could see all of Gabriel’s belongings scattered in the back seat and overflowing from the trunk. He wasn’t kidding around.

“Don’t go,” Castiel pleaded, his voice breaking. “Please don’t go. You’re my brother, I need you.”

“You’ll always have me,” Gabriel promised, a hitch in his own voice. “I just… need to be on my own for a while. I just have to get out of here. I would have gone years ago if it wasn’t for you. I tried so hard to stay until you went to college, but I can’t do it. Every day I’m around them, a little more of me dies. I have to leave.”

Castiel’s lip trembled and he threw his arms around his brother. “Where will you go?” he whispered.

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll call you as soon as I’m settled. Six months. Maybe a year, tops.” Gabriel nudged Castiel to one side, easing him out of his way so he could get into his car. He pulled back from the embrace. “You take care of yourself, you hear me?”

Stunned, unable to believe this was really happening, Castiel could do little more than nod. He stared at Gabriel the entire time he was in sight, watching the car drive away until it rounded the corner and was gone. Castiel didn’t truly know how to react in that moment. His chest felt hollow, lost, his attempts at breathing didn’t seem to fill his lungs with enough oxygen.

Castiel was distantly aware of an arm wrapping around him, leading him further into the parking lot. “M—my car,” he began, and stopped quickly. _ Was that stammering sound coming from him? _

“We can pick it up later,” Dean soothed. “Come on.”

From that point on, everything was a blur. He was sure Dean spoke to him, but he couldn’t remember anything up until the point where Dean pulled up at the bottom the hill, the towering oak tree a familiar sight above him. It felt like only seconds had passed. Castiel sank down in the grass at its base, staring down into his lap.

“You’ll get in trouble at school for ditching with me.”

“Cas,” Dean sighed, winding an arm around him. “Don’t worry about me. You just had a big shock, you know? You should process that.”

Castiel nodded, tiredly. “I will. I just don’t really know how to right now.”

Dean didn’t say anything, which Castiel was grateful for. He didn’t want to talk yet. He just wanted time to make sense of everything that had happened. Castiel had no concept of how much time passed up there on that hill. He just felt Dean’s presence and clung to the support offered to him as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky.

He knew Dean should be at home by now. That he’d no doubt be missing family commitments or spending time with Sam, but if Dean even thought about it, he never said a thing. Didn’t even make an attempt to move, or leave Castiel to it.

“He was right, you know. Gabriel, I mean.”

Castiel could feel Dean’s eyes on him as he eventually broke the silence. “About the way they treated him.” It wasn’t a question.

Castiel nodded. “Nothing he did was ever good enough. They called him a disappointment. They were ashamed to have him as their son. Why wasn’t he more like me? What he endured… I can’t imagine how hard it must have been. I’m surprised it took him this long to leave.”

“He stayed for you,” Dean said simply. “He loves you and he didn’t want you to think he resented you.”

“He’s my brother.” The tears came all at once, unbidden. Castiel couldn’t stop them if he tried and he didn’t even have the strength to attempt it. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. How I’m supposed to forgive my parents when they drove him away.”

Dean pulled him into a fierce hug. “You will. And if you don’t, that’s okay too. You can’t help how you feel, Cas. And I’m here for you no matter what.”

Castiel sobbed into Dean’s shoulder. Despite the pain, the loss, the frustration, Dean’s presence helped. Just knowing that he had someone he would always be able to rely on sewed the initial sutures into Castiel’s broken heart.

* * *

**4.**

The evening was cold, like the chill that had settled in Castiel’s stomach as he climbed the hill. When Dean had called and asked to meet him here, instead of either of their homes, he knew something had to be wrong. The second phone call had confirmed it.

They were jetting off to college in two days time, both of them accepted into Georgetown—Dean being pre-med, and Castiel being pre-law.

It was the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Castiel stood in the shade of the oak tree, squinting in the darkness. “Dean?” he called out. “Are you here?”

No words greeted him, but there was the sound of a stifled sob that answered his question.

Castiel approached the trunk of the towering oak tree and peered around the side. Dean was sitting on the floor, his back against one of the lifted roots. Silent sobs were shaking his shoulders.

Dropping to his knees, Castiel pulled Dean into a hug. Fear tendrils spread across his insides, pushing the chill through his body. He’d never seen Dean cry before, not once in all of their years of friendship. He didn’t ask what was wrong, knowing Dean would talk in his own time. Castiel didn’t even tell Dean that he already knew, that Sam had told him, just saved the words for when Dean was able to speak.

He might not have seen Dean cry before, but Castiel had seen him upset, and he knew Dean had problems with talking when he was grieving.

After his mom had died, Dean hadn’t said a word. Castiel had a vague memory of their teacher in kindergarten saying something about him working through his feelings. Lots of Dean’s former friends had abandoned him, too young to understand his grief. Castiel, at least according to his parents, had toddled up to Dean with some paper and crayons and chatted enough for both of them. They’d been inseparable ever since.

Now, Dean had another parent to grieve, and the complicated relationship they’d had meant Dean was no doubt feeling a veritable cocktail of emotions. 

“Dad died,” Dean pulled back, swiping his hands over his face. He couldn’t look Castiel in the eye.

“I know,” Castiel whispered, carding his fingers through Dean’s hair. “Sam called me. Who’s looking after him now?”

“Missouri. She’s… she’s helping make all the arrangements and stuff.” Dean fell silent.

Castiel didn’t know what to say. His own eyes grew wet, his best friend’s anguish settling over him like a blanket of emotion. “I’m sorry, Dean. You know if there’s anything I can do, you just have to ask, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know.”

They lapsed into silence again and Castiel continued to stroke Dean’s hair, hoping to convey any comfort he could through touch alone.

“I have to look after Sam now,” Dean broke the silence eventually, staring off into the distance. “Dad didn’t have a lot of money to leave us. I won’t be able to come with you to Georgetown, Cas.”

Castiel’s stomach lurched. He pushed away the feeling of horror, guiltily. This was about Dean. “There’ll be some sort of scholarship or financial help you can get for having a dependent—”

Dean shook his head. “I thought about that already. I can’t uproot Sam from his life, not when he already lost my dad. He has friends here, he’ll need them. I gotta think about Sam. Maybe college is something I can look at in the future. I… I guess it just sucks that it’s not something I get to experience with you.”

“Then I’ll stay too,” Castiel told him gently. “And apply to KCU. We might not be there together, but I’ll still get to see you.”

“I can’t ask you to do that,” Dean sniffled. “All I want is for you to be happy.”

Castiel’s hand slipped from Dean’s hair and he touched his cheek, feeling a tear slip down his own cheek against his best efforts. “Dean, you’re the only person in my life that has always been by my side. What makes you think I could be happy without you?”

The profound nature of the words echoed around them in the silence, crackling with energy. For the first time since Castiel had arrived, their eyes met, charged with a tension that had always hung between them. They were teetering on the precipice of something huge, something that would change and define them.

But this was not the moment for that.

Castiel let his hand slip away and he looked down at the town. In the darkness it was almost impossible to see, but for the lights. Signs of families settling into their nightly routines.

Dean’s head tilted down and rested on Castiel’s shoulder, a flare of warmth in the cold, cruel world they lived in.

* * *

**5.**

Castiel dried his eyes angrily, stalking back and forth in front of the oak tree and trying desperately to find the rationality that he clung to most of his life. But in this moment, it seemed to have deserted him, leaving him twisted and overcome with petty jealousy.

He knew he was out of line, acting this way. Dean had never made him any promises. They’d never even talked about the feelings that had been lingering between them since their last year of high school.

Technically, Dean was free to pursue someone else if he wanted to.

Castiel had just never expected him to. It had been more than a year since John Winchester had passed away. The moment that had burned between Dean and Castiel on this very hill was still fresh in Castiel’s mind, as if it had happened only yesterday. It was the closest either of them had ever come to acting on it, but Castiel had never dreamed that Dean’s feelings may have changed.

But everything had changed since then. Castiel had other friends, college friends. Dean had started working at Bobby Singer’s autoshop to pay the bills and had his own circle of friends too. Naturally, it hadn’t affected their friendship at all. Castiel had still carved out the majority of his social time for Dean. He’d naively thought Dean had done the same thing for him. He’d barely mentioned his work friends.

He’d never mentioned _ her _.

She wasn’t even that pretty, Castiel thought bitterly, although he couldn’t deny her pale complexion and cropped red hair were a striking combination. He just hadn’t thought she was Dean’s type at all.

The roar of the Impala’s engines caught Castiel’s attention and he floundered. After he’d run out of Dean’s place, terrible excuses about a prior engagement on his tongue, he hadn’t expected to be followed. But it was clear that Dean hadn’t been fooled by his lame mutterings at all. Not that Castiel had expected him to be.

_ Oh God. _

Panic gripped him as he fumbled for any reason at all why he’d felt the need to run out of Dean’s birthday party. Anything that would stop Dean from hating him forever.

Castiel looked up, dumbly, as Dean cleared his throat. He opened his mouth and closed it again, swallowing audibly. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Dean leaned against the tree, fixing him with an almost-amused look. “You finish your _ prior engagement _?”

Castiel felt a flare of anger. Was Dean finding this funny? He straightened up. “You—,” he began heatedly.

“I only ask,” Dean cut him off, talking loudly. “Because you rushed out of there before I could introduce you to my friend, Charlie. Her girlfriend couldn’t make it today.”

Castiel blinked, owlishly. “Her—?"

“Girlfriend,” Dean supplied helpfully. “You know. _ Lesbians _,” he pronounced the last word slowly, significantly.

Dean was giving him an out, a way to save face. By addressing Castiel’s issue without actually addressing it, he was giving them a means to avoid the long overdue conversation they’d yet to have. As everything clicked into place, Castiel felt smaller than an ant. The redhead was a lesbian. She wasn’t Dean’s girlfriend. Dean wasn’t interested in her.

He wasn’t sure what to say. “Oh. I see.”

“Yeah.” Dean shrugged. “You ready to come back with me so I can introduce you properly?”

Castiel stepped forward, his legs shaky. “Not yet.”

Frustration flitted over Dean’s face and he sighed. “Cas—”

“Wait,” Castiel interrupted. “Please, just thirty seconds. I just… I want to give you your birthday present before we go back.”

Dean’s expression cleared and he looked mildly interested, even excited. His eyes darted around, looking for something that Castiel might have hidden.

Castiel took the opportunity to close the distance between them in a single stride, capturing Dean’s lips in a tentative first kiss. It wasn’t exactly the gift he’d planned to give Dean that morning, but his heart had always truly belonged to Dean and it was more than time that he made that abundantly clear.

Even though he had to have been taken by surprise, Dean caught on quickly, responding to the light kiss. His lips were coaxing against Castiel’s, igniting a low flame and extinguishing it into a thousand butterflies of steam all at once. His hand snaked around Castiel’s waist, pulling them flush together even as their lips parted.

“Happy birthday to me,” Dean smiled, pressing their foreheads together. “Would it be too much of me to ask for a second gift?”

Castiel laughed breathlessly in response, pulling Dean in for a second kiss, and a third, and a fourth, until he lost count entirely.

* * *

**+1.**

The sun shone down on the old oak tree, thin beams of light streaming down between its leaves and illuminating the ground below.

Castiel brushed his fingers along the bark until they reached the familiar etchings. His initials and Dean’s, carved almost ten years ago now. While Castiel regretted their secret act of vandalism, damaging the beauty of the magnificent oak, there was something profound and warming about the eternity of their story. Their initials would still be here long after they were gone.

“I’m getting too old to climb this hill,” Dean grumbled, trying to catch his breath. “We need a clandestine meeting place at ground level.

Castiel tilted his head back and laughed. “You’re not even thirty, Dean. Besides, this isn’t a clandestine meeting place anymore. We’ve got thirty guests and a minister arriving in a couple of hours to set things up.”

He turned to see Dean in his tuxedo, looking uncharacteristically nervous. His tie was all askew, no doubt from where he’d been tugging on it all morning. Castiel sighed in mock-exasperation and reached out to fix it for him.

“I thought it was unlucky for you to see me before the service,” Dean mumbled.

“Neither of us is in a dress,” Castiel pointed out wryly.

“Unfortunately for our guests. I’ll have you know I look _ fantastic _ in a gown.”

Castiel laughed again and pecked Dean on the lips. “I’m sure you do. But I much prefer you like this, in a dashing suit. What time is Sam getting here?”

“Any time now. What about Gabriel?”

Castiel checked his watch. “In about an hour. How are you feeling?”

“Me? Fine…” Dean paused, narrowing his eyes at Castiel. “Are you asking if I have cold feet?”

“Well, do you?” Castiel asked, hesitantly. “This is your last chance. If you run away after Gabriel gets here, he might shoot you.”

Dean smiled. “I’m not going anywhere. You?”

Castiel shook his head, returning the smile. “My feet are toasty warm.”

“Lies. They were pressed against me all night and they were anything but toasty. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you refrigerate them before coming to bed.”

Castiel laughed again and took Dean’s hand in his own. In a matter of hours, they’d be married, ready to start the rest of their lives together. It was only fitting that they have the ceremony here, a place that had seen them through so many times of sadness, but also joy.

“What are you thinking?” Dean asked, curiously. “You’ve got that look on your face like you’re thinking of something sappy and poetic.”

Dean knew him so well. Castiel glanced over at his soon-to-be husband, his eyes filled with love and happiness. “I was just thinking that I can’t wait to marry you.”

He cut off Dean’s attempt at reciprocating the sentiment with a kiss, that was soon followed by the kiss that marked the beginning of the rest of their lives.

And it all happened beneath the old oak tree.

**Author's Note:**

> [MY TUMBLR](http://blueeyedangel.co.vu)


End file.
